Ask the Author: J.P. Ashman
Answered Questions (13)
J.P. Ashman
My TBR list is so long, I don't tend to plan what comes next. I just see what I fancy when I finish the current e-book, paperback, hardback and/or audio book.
Something by Peter Newman or Joe Abercrombie will be my next physical read, methinks (they're on my shelf). As for audio and e-book, not sure at the moment. Watch this space!
Something by Peter Newman or Joe Abercrombie will be my next physical read, methinks (they're on my shelf). As for audio and e-book, not sure at the moment. Watch this space!
J.P. Ashman
Anything. This question could, for example. After reading this question, I go in search of my life's mysteries, but it opens a door to a past I'd forgotten, and the resulting adventure leads me down an arduous path of misfortune and... I'm just waffling on now. My point is, you can use almost anything from your own life's experiences to your writing advantage. Especially that time the armed police blocked your street off and knocked on your door...
J.P. Ashman
Not a couple in the traditional sense, but it would have to be Tehol and Bugg from the Malazan Book of the Fallen, by Steven Erikson. Hilarious duo!
J.P. Ashman
This answer contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)
J.P. Ashman
Hi G.R,
Thanks for the question.
Short answer is:
Yes.
Long answer is as follows:
I've always read fantasy that has a little black powder, be it the odd flintlock pistol or cannon. Part of my main interest over the years has been Warhammer the tabletop game, as well as the attached novels and short stories. There's black powder galore in those!
In my series, I wanted it to be about the start of such things. Despite it being nothing new to Brisance, due to the usage of it by dwarves and gnomes, it is new to the human kingdoms, because of a strict, ancient treaty. That's all starting to change! Small factions, pirates and the like have used it sparingly, bought from dwarves themselves or poorly manufactured by humans. The great nations, however... Altoln, Sirreta and the like have left it alone, until now. They're not taking the slow evolution route of black powder weapons though, they're jumping in with the well developed dwarf crafted stuff. Or rather some are.
The above disregard for an ancient treaty, through fear and jealously, will lead the mixed race nations of Brisance into a protracted war which sees ally turn on ally and old enemies rear their ugly heads.
Black powder does have its place, and its place is the Black Powder Wars.
Thanks again for the question, G.R.
JP
#BlackCross
#BlackPowderWars
Thanks for the question.
Short answer is:
Yes.
Long answer is as follows:
I've always read fantasy that has a little black powder, be it the odd flintlock pistol or cannon. Part of my main interest over the years has been Warhammer the tabletop game, as well as the attached novels and short stories. There's black powder galore in those!
In my series, I wanted it to be about the start of such things. Despite it being nothing new to Brisance, due to the usage of it by dwarves and gnomes, it is new to the human kingdoms, because of a strict, ancient treaty. That's all starting to change! Small factions, pirates and the like have used it sparingly, bought from dwarves themselves or poorly manufactured by humans. The great nations, however... Altoln, Sirreta and the like have left it alone, until now. They're not taking the slow evolution route of black powder weapons though, they're jumping in with the well developed dwarf crafted stuff. Or rather some are.
The above disregard for an ancient treaty, through fear and jealously, will lead the mixed race nations of Brisance into a protracted war which sees ally turn on ally and old enemies rear their ugly heads.
Black powder does have its place, and its place is the Black Powder Wars.
Thanks again for the question, G.R.
JP
#BlackCross
#BlackPowderWars
J.P. Ashman
Hi Shawn,
Thanks for the question.
I think I probably geek out a fair bit on weapons and armour. I've loved them since I was a wee lad. I used to run around with sticks shaped like swords, thwacking my friends and taking hits in return. And that's it, my whole... oh no, wait, there's more!
At 18 I joined a medieval re-enactment society called the Knights of Longshanks. It was there where my interest really took off. I had hands on experience with swords, axes, maces and other such weapons. I also wore and bought my own armour. I still have a great-helm, maille coif and mits, plate gauntlets and leather vambraces, as well as the linen and wool clothing, and boots.
As well as the above, I read a lot of historical fiction, such as Conn Iggulden and Bernard Cornwell, as well as historical textbooks (fun!), of which I have many. I must list them all on Goodreads some day.
So basically, that's it. My love of history, especially medieval Europe, has ended up coming out in my work. I've held the weapons, fought with them (not properly, of course, but our group was known for going for it at events) and wore the armour. I know what the weight of a maille hauberk feels like, restricting your breathing and weighing on your shoulders. I also know what the impact of a rubber ended crossbow bolt feels like when it hits me square in the chest. It knocks you back a step! I was wearing a padded jack, a coat of plates (iron plates sewn into a leather coat) and still the rubber ended crossbow bolt knocked me back. So the real thing hitting you? launched from a heavier draw-weight bow with tipped bolts... well, you'd be in serious trouble.
As well as the (carefully set up and controlled) crossbow hit, which I took twice during my time with the KOL society, I also took several knocks from swords and the like. I also lost my front tooth! Although, in all honesty, that was erecting a medieval tent and had nothing to do with combat displays.
One thing I learnt from it is that all the manly grunting in the world when fighting, all those curses and shouts and roars, they're all reduced to a yelp when you truly get clocked by someone. When that length of steel cracks off your finger or unprotected bicep. Ouch! And they're blunt!
Anyway, I've waffled as usual, but there you have it. I read medieval textbooks, watch a lot of documentaries on the period (and others) and have had a few years dressed, armed and armoured like those of old.
I must say that I think I need to tone it down a bit when writing, if my editor's advice is anything to go by. The latest (3rd) edition of Black Cross has done that, but in the future I will dial it back a bit more. I just get a little over enthusiastic sometimes, but at least my characters have a gritty realism about them, their arms and armour.
Thanks again for this question, Shawn. I've thoroughly enjoyed hammering my enthusiastic reply into my keyboard.
Cheers,
JP
Thanks for the question.
I think I probably geek out a fair bit on weapons and armour. I've loved them since I was a wee lad. I used to run around with sticks shaped like swords, thwacking my friends and taking hits in return. And that's it, my whole... oh no, wait, there's more!
At 18 I joined a medieval re-enactment society called the Knights of Longshanks. It was there where my interest really took off. I had hands on experience with swords, axes, maces and other such weapons. I also wore and bought my own armour. I still have a great-helm, maille coif and mits, plate gauntlets and leather vambraces, as well as the linen and wool clothing, and boots.
As well as the above, I read a lot of historical fiction, such as Conn Iggulden and Bernard Cornwell, as well as historical textbooks (fun!), of which I have many. I must list them all on Goodreads some day.
So basically, that's it. My love of history, especially medieval Europe, has ended up coming out in my work. I've held the weapons, fought with them (not properly, of course, but our group was known for going for it at events) and wore the armour. I know what the weight of a maille hauberk feels like, restricting your breathing and weighing on your shoulders. I also know what the impact of a rubber ended crossbow bolt feels like when it hits me square in the chest. It knocks you back a step! I was wearing a padded jack, a coat of plates (iron plates sewn into a leather coat) and still the rubber ended crossbow bolt knocked me back. So the real thing hitting you? launched from a heavier draw-weight bow with tipped bolts... well, you'd be in serious trouble.
As well as the (carefully set up and controlled) crossbow hit, which I took twice during my time with the KOL society, I also took several knocks from swords and the like. I also lost my front tooth! Although, in all honesty, that was erecting a medieval tent and had nothing to do with combat displays.
One thing I learnt from it is that all the manly grunting in the world when fighting, all those curses and shouts and roars, they're all reduced to a yelp when you truly get clocked by someone. When that length of steel cracks off your finger or unprotected bicep. Ouch! And they're blunt!
Anyway, I've waffled as usual, but there you have it. I read medieval textbooks, watch a lot of documentaries on the period (and others) and have had a few years dressed, armed and armoured like those of old.
I must say that I think I need to tone it down a bit when writing, if my editor's advice is anything to go by. The latest (3rd) edition of Black Cross has done that, but in the future I will dial it back a bit more. I just get a little over enthusiastic sometimes, but at least my characters have a gritty realism about them, their arms and armour.
Thanks again for this question, Shawn. I've thoroughly enjoyed hammering my enthusiastic reply into my keyboard.
Cheers,
JP
J.P. Ashman
Very good question and a hard one to answer.
A lot of my writing is fluid, changing as I go, surprising to me even. The scene I'm pretty sure you're on about was indeed a tough one. Certain things were planned, other things I was flexible on. I was in two minds about it, knowing the easier option to be doable, but the harder option to be better for the story both as an initial impact scene, and long term.
I decided to decide when I got to it, and even then I struggled. I left it open - a cliff hanger of sorts, but open to me too. I wimped out... until the scene that led the reader back to the situation. When I got there, with those characters, I just knew what had to be done. It felt right. Wrong, but right. I knew the characters involved would be effected more and so change more if I made the tough call. It would break the readers' hearts, yes, but also the hearts of the characters. It happens in real life and they needed it to happen, both to bond and to be 'real'.
When scenes like that come, they can smack you round the face. They need to! If it doesn't, it isn't the right time to 'do it'. The emotion has to be there.
Thanks for the question, Brian, and thanks for caring enough to ask! :-)
JP
A lot of my writing is fluid, changing as I go, surprising to me even. The scene I'm pretty sure you're on about was indeed a tough one. Certain things were planned, other things I was flexible on. I was in two minds about it, knowing the easier option to be doable, but the harder option to be better for the story both as an initial impact scene, and long term.
I decided to decide when I got to it, and even then I struggled. I left it open - a cliff hanger of sorts, but open to me too. I wimped out... until the scene that led the reader back to the situation. When I got there, with those characters, I just knew what had to be done. It felt right. Wrong, but right. I knew the characters involved would be effected more and so change more if I made the tough call. It would break the readers' hearts, yes, but also the hearts of the characters. It happens in real life and they needed it to happen, both to bond and to be 'real'.
When scenes like that come, they can smack you round the face. They need to! If it doesn't, it isn't the right time to 'do it'. The emotion has to be there.
Thanks for the question, Brian, and thanks for caring enough to ask! :-)
JP
J.P. Ashman
I'm lucky enough to not have suffered from that as of yet. Probably because I work full time, so I have constant interaction with people, which helps with writing, even though your daily life differs greatly from your fictional world. Also, I find inspiration in everything from wildlife and the countryside around me, to the news, other people and my pets. There's so many wonders in the world, all around us all the time. If you have a block, perhaps your story has reached a dead end. Try it from a different angle, or try something new...go jump on a snowboard or climb a cliff (with the appropriate gear/help of course) and something will come to you.
J.P. Ashman
Living and playing out your imaginative world and seeing your world and characters grow. Some characters really do write themselves, and no matter how hard you try to follow your arc and aim for a certain outcome, it's fun to see where some characters or events take you, rather than where you take them.
J.P. Ashman
Write write write and write some more. Write all sorts, even nonsense. I find myself writing dialogue or a scene on a post-it note, because it's in my head and needs to come out. It helps you practice, learn from mistakes and experience writing different scenes, expressions, descriptions etc... without having to think of 'the story arc' or deadline or consistency of your story.
J.P. Ashman
I've just finished a sci-fi short-story with a super short deadline. Alas, it is for submission purposes, so unless it is snapped up over the thousands of other writers submitting work, it won't be seen by the public.
Now that the short-story has been finished though, I will be cracking on with the next installment of my Black Powder Wars series: Black Guild.
*Edit*
I have recently submitted a 300 word flash fiction story to Mark Lawrence's 'The Liar's Key' competition, which I have already received a positive comment about, from historical fiction author Conn Iggulden. So whether that goes any further or not, I am more than happy with that submission.
http://thatthornguy.com/contests/the-...
Black Cross has also been entered into Mark Lawrence's (that bloke does so much for the genre) self-published blog off competition:
http://mark---lawrence.blogspot.ca/20...
A great initiative thought up and set into motion by Mark lawrence himself, and Sarah from bookwormblues.net. Sarah, incidentally, has received Black Cross as one of her self-published bundles for the competition:
http://www.bookwormblues.net/2015/03/...
It's an exciting time at the moment, both for me and all the authors involved in the above competitions. Now, however, it's back to Black Guild. There is much still to do.
Now that the short-story has been finished though, I will be cracking on with the next installment of my Black Powder Wars series: Black Guild.
*Edit*
I have recently submitted a 300 word flash fiction story to Mark Lawrence's 'The Liar's Key' competition, which I have already received a positive comment about, from historical fiction author Conn Iggulden. So whether that goes any further or not, I am more than happy with that submission.
http://thatthornguy.com/contests/the-...
Black Cross has also been entered into Mark Lawrence's (that bloke does so much for the genre) self-published blog off competition:
http://mark---lawrence.blogspot.ca/20...
A great initiative thought up and set into motion by Mark lawrence himself, and Sarah from bookwormblues.net. Sarah, incidentally, has received Black Cross as one of her self-published bundles for the competition:
http://www.bookwormblues.net/2015/03/...
It's an exciting time at the moment, both for me and all the authors involved in the above competitions. Now, however, it's back to Black Guild. There is much still to do.
J.P. Ashman
I've always had an over-active imagination. I loved drawing as a kid, and although I don't tend to now, I cold probably get back into art if I had the time. Everything I see, hear and do gives me ideas for writing, but my wife encouraged me to put pen to paper over six years ago...and I'm glad she did! If she hadn't have pushed me to start writing, I would probably still have a ridiculous amount of nonsense filling my head with no outlet for it. At least now I can pour it out and onto the keyboard.
J.P. Ashman
There was no sudden idea, or event that created the idea for Black Cross. It was more a combination of many different things that gradually built the story. My imagination is the biggest part of it, of course, but all sorts of other topics/interests/experiences all take part in my story/world building.
Everything from my love of history to the daily news and my own life experiences play a part. I wanted this series to have a gritty realism to it, but also that fantastic fantasy feel I so love, and I think I've achieved that.
Everything from my love of history to the daily news and my own life experiences play a part. I wanted this series to have a gritty realism to it, but also that fantastic fantasy feel I so love, and I think I've achieved that.
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